Occupational exposure tungsten

Permissible Exposure Limits in Air. Occupational exposure to insoluble tungsten needs to be controlled so that employees are not exposed to insoluble tungsten at a concentration greater than 5 mg tungsten/m air, determined as a TWA concentration for up to a 10-h workshift in a 40-h workweek. An STEL value of 10 mg/m has been set by ACGIH in 1983. 

Occupational Exposure to Tungsten and Cemented Tungsten Carbide. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Pub No. 77-227, NTIS Pub. No. PB-275-594. Springfield, VA, National Technical Information Service (NIOSH), 1977... 

In comparison to the majority of odier heavy metals, tungsten and most of its compounds possess very low toxicity, if at all. Intoxications occur rarely, almost exclusively by occupational exposure. As treatment in acute poisoning, Dimercaprol (British Antilewisite) may be useful. 

NIOSH (National Institut of Occupational Safety and Health) (1977) Criteria for a Recommended Standard-Occupational Exposure to Tungsten Carbide. DHEW (NIOSH) Publication No. 77 -127, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Chronic fibrotic occupational lung diseases include asbestosis (see p 121), silicosis, coal workers pneumoconiosis, and a few other less common fibrotic lung diseases associated with occupational exposures to such substances as beryllium and hard metal (cobalt-tungsten carbide). These conditions occur after years of exposure and with long latency, although patients may present for evaluation after an acute exposure. Referral for follow-up surveillance is appropriate if exposure is anticipated to be long term. 

In the United States, occupational exposure limits have been assigned to 5 mg W/m for insoluble tungsten compounds and to 1 mg W/m for soluble compounds. 

Toxicology. Cobalt causes skin irritation, allergic contact dermatitis, and occupational asthma interstitial pulmonary fibrosis is associated with exposure to hard metal dust (tungsten and cobalt). 

Kraus T, Schramel P, Schaller KH, et al. (2001) Exposure assessment in the hard metal manufacturing industry with special regard to tungsten and its compounds. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 58 631-634. 

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